Turkey’s Fidan heads to Moscow as S-400 sanctions issue returns to fore The visit comes weeks before Turkey hosts NATO leaders, on the sidelines of which Ankara hopes to reach a deal with Washington over CAATSA sanctions over its purchase of Russian S-400s. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran says US strikes render April ceasefire ‘meaningless’ Fresh US strikes and Iranian retaliation deepen regional tensions, while Washington tightens sanctions, France pushes for a larger role in Lebanon, and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Russia in talks on 'reformatting' its military sites in Syria: What to know Moscow signals it wants to maintain its presence in Syria, where President Ahmed al-Sharaa recently said that Russian bases will be converted into training centers. Syria
Interview Armenia candidate Tatoyan eyes Pashinyan's pro-West mantle in sea of Russia-backed rivals In an interview from Yerevan, Armenian opposition candidate Arman Tatoyan denies pro-Russian ties and says he would deepen cooperation with the European Union and the United States while pursuing a gradual approach to relations with Moscow. Arman Tatoyan Founder, Wings of Unity Party
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Oil eases as Trump pauses Iran strikes By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Egypt, Russia cover lots of common ground in recent meeting Many countries were paying attention when Russia sent two top ministers to Cairo last week. Egypt
US, Russia hold secret talks over south Syria safe zone US and Russian officials are quietly negotiating a deal over a proposed "de-escalation" zone near the border with Jordan. Syria
Interview Syrian rebel commander: 150 US troops at al-Tanf base In an interview with Al-Monitor, Lt. Col. Muhannad al-Talla, the commander of Maghawir al-Thawra, speaks of the role of the US-led coalition at al-Tanf military base, which is close to the border between Jordan, Syria and Iraq. Muhannad al-Talla Commander of Maghawir al-Thawra
Russia’s Syria strategy hinges on Jordan Russia’s relationship with Jordan has shifted as Moscow looks to Amman as its mediator with the Sunni world and the United States in the Syrian crisis. Jordan
Trump visits Saudi Arabia, Kremlin shrugs Russia may be keeping quiet publicly about Donald Trump’s relations with Saudi Arabia, but Trump’s recent trip to the kingdom raises some interesting questions for Moscow. Saudi Arabia
Iran follows Russia’s lead in backing Syria safe zones Russia’s proposal legitimates Iranian military role in Syria; supreme leader hails victory for "Islamic democracy"; Turkish intervention in Sinjar could disrupt Mosul liberation plans; Egypt’s media crackdown. Egypt
Boosting ties with Moscow will come at a cost for Hamas Establishing a relationship with a superpower such as Russia bodes well for Hamas, but Moscow will expect flexibility on the movement's part in return. Palestine
Russia remains unconcerned by Trump's anti-Iran rhetoric US President Donald Trump tells the Saudis what they want to hear, but Russian experts don't expect him to renege on the Iran deal. Saudi Arabia
Why Iran wants 'de-escalation' zones in Syria While the establishment of "safe zones" has never been part of Russia's or Iran’s plans, their agreement to create "de-escalation zones" at this juncture serves the interests of both countries. Syria
Russia picks 'bull terrier' as new ambassador to US Can the extensive experience of Russian ambassador-in-waiting Anatoly Antonov, who has played an instrumental role in Moscow's policies across the Middle East, overcome controversy in Washington to pave the way for cooperation? Russia
Damascus, Amman exchange threats as border tensions flare Recent military exercises hosted by Jordan increased the Syrian regime's suspicion about activity on its southern border, while the opposition accuses the regime and Iran of trying to create a land route from Iran to Lebanon, through Syria and Iraq. Iraq
Is Moscow a likely matchmaker between Israelis, Palestinians? Russia continues to step up its diplomatic game in the Middle East by reinforcing ties with Israelis and Palestinians and allowing its stances to evolve. Palestine
![CORRECTION - Russian mediator Alexander Lavrentiev, Iranian deputy foreign minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov and UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura attend the signing of a memorandum on creating safe zones in Syria during the fourth round of Syria peace talks in Astana on May 4, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Stanislav FILIPPOV / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Stanislav FILIPPOV has been modified in AFP systems in the following m](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/05/GettyImages-678442688.jpg/GettyImages-678442688.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=d7KSlwHD)
